Close Your Eyes and Follow My Voice

Not to be spooky or try to sound deep (cuz ain’t NOBODY got time for that foolishness!), but that was something I believe I heard God speaking to my heart this week, “Close your eyes and follow My voice.”

It’s about walking by faith and not by sight.

Not leaning to my own understanding. Not relying on my own strength – which is guaranteed to run out (and often at a very inopportune moment).

Trusting Him with EVERYTHING – big or small (cuz who am I to categorize or judge this from my limited perspective and vantage point?).

Acknowledging that He sees and knows ALL as King of the Universe – and HIS plan supersedes mine.

So now that we’ve got THAT outta the way…are your rose-colored lenses a li’l less foggy? Mine are! #PerspectiveMaintenance

“27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.”

(John 10:27-28)

No Exemption from Affliction

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I feel like that episode of Tom & Jerry where Tom was so tired he needed toothpicks to hold his eyelids open. Can you relate?

I worked late on incorporating feedback into an ongoing project while inwardly shaking my head. And yet, I persevere and continue.

Not because I want to.

But it’s for whomever I’m enduring this lesson for.

And because someone is watching my walk.

Someone including my young adult children.

Because life ain’t a bowl of cherries.

But God remains faithful and dependable. I can rest in this. And so can you, my friend.

Be encouraged, Kayren

“It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.”

(Psalm 119:71)

Resilience

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Persistence and endurance…we LOVE these character-building lessons (that often come through tests), don’t we?!

Who voluntarily signs up for resilience training?!? 😵‍💫🫣🤔👀

And yet, we must be patient.

So we endure.

Because we know the end is worth it.

Blessings & stay encouraged, Kayren

“7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.

10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.”

(James 5:7-11)

The Necessary Work of Holding On

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“…the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong…” (Ecclesiastes 9:11)

Sometimes just holding on and maintaining your current position takes all the strength and energy you have.

And sometimes that’s all that is required.

Stay encouraged, Kayren

“But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”

(Matthew 24:13)

“8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

(II Corinthians 12:8-10)

Characteristics of Godly Wisdom

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We admire the Proverbs 31 woman. How can we put more of what she embodies into our own lives?

Let us desire to walk in godly wisdom. We start by saturating ourselves in God’s Word – the holy scriptures are FULL of wisdom that we can apply to our daily lives with awesome and proven results.

Here are some characteristics of godly wisdom we can begin (or continue!) to work on:

Discretion – knowing when to speak vs. when to be silent
Maturity – developing through stages (not staying static or rigid); being pliant, pliable, and yielded – able to be transformed
Taking decisive action (choices reflect our heart condition)
Integrity – operating according to GOD’S principles vs. allowing circumstances, natural senses, or feelings to dictate our response
Obedience – non-negotiable (entails applying all of the above in the proper God-directed sequence & timing)

Blessings as we work and walk in, on, and with wisdom, Kayren

“10 Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies.

28 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

29 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.

31 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.”

(Proverbs 31:10, 28-31)

The Clean Room

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Cleansed, sanitized, sterile, & free of contaminants…

When God is conducting spiritual surgery, everybody can’t have access.

The room has been prepared for Him to move by His Spirit.

Let it stay that way. Unsullied. #UNapologetic #iScribe4Him 💯

Blessings, Kayren

“6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

8 Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.

9 Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

(Psalm 51:6-10)

Limited Exposure Can Be Beneficial

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Everybody shouldn’t have access to you in every season. At some point, it’s gotta be just you and God.

Not isolation, but insulation.

Not retaliation, but restoration.

Not rejecting others, but protecting the gift God has placed in your earthen vessel.

Cuz some folk won’t see your value until – like an episode of Antiques Roadshow – it’s REVEALED TO THEM that they had a priceless item in their midst all along…#UNaware

So you may as well know your worth NOW. And live like it is so – because it already IS.

Blessings, Kayren

“6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”

(II Corinthians 4:6-7)

An Accurate Reflection?

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I admire Greg McKeown’s focus on living what he teaches about Essentialism. One of his recent emails with the subject line “The Story Your Calendar is Telling” challenged me in a beautiful way.

“Your calendar is a mirror. It doesn’t reflect your ideals – it reflects your choices.

Most people try to make progress without making space. High performers do the opposite. They build a system that supports their priorities – not one that competes with them.”

That’s a whole mouthful right there. I’m still chewing on it.

Feel free to drop a comment if this resonates with you.

I’d love to hear any adjustments you’ve made (or are currently making) so that the way your time is spent or invested is truly aligned with where your heart is…

Blessings, Kayren

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:”

(Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Merciful Kindness

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What a beautiful gift! It just rolls off the tongue when you say it aloud – and you can’t help but to smile.

There’s even a Psalms 117 song to help you remember and meditate on this scripture passage – I already added it to my playlist!!! Yep – it’s on repeat…

May we lavishly bestow merciful kindness upon others today as we have abundantly received.

Blessings, Kayren

“1 O praise the Lord, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people.

2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.”

(Psalm 117:1-2)

In the Press

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Develop your productivity under pressure…

Each test develops our testimony. It’s designed to teach us what we’ve learned, and to expose areas we need to work on.

Can you relate?

Admittedly, it doesn’t always feel good.

Yet, we build muscle, skill, acumen, and endurance as we encounter resistance and learn to fight.

I can’t say I voluntarily signed up for my current course, but God has fitted this set of tests just for me. So I’m pressing to obtain the prize.

No need to waste your suffering, pain, and tribulation – let it produce some peaceable fruit of righteousness!

Stay encouraged, Kayren

“13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,

14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

(Philippians 3:13-14)

Kayren Cathcart's Blog

Observations on daily life and inspiration for spiritual growth…

transformation

Close Your Eyes and Follow My Voice

No Exemption from Affliction

Resilience

The Necessary Work of Holding On

Characteristics of Godly Wisdom

The Clean Room

Limited Exposure Can Be Beneficial

An Accurate Reflection?

Merciful Kindness

In the Press